A Murray River Cruise & More, South Australia ’Just for Singles’ (50 years & over)
Make your way to the Hilton International Check in is from 2pm The remainder of the day is free for personal sightseeing. Catch a tram to seaside Glenelg from the doorstep of the hotel, or take a wander through the city. This evening we will gather for pre dinner drinks and to meet our fellow travellers before our Welcome dinner.
After breakfast we head for the hills - literally. The Adelaide Hills provide a great vantage point from which to see across the whole of Adelaide city. On a clear day you can see the Yorke Peninsula or even Kangaroo Island. We stop briefly at the Summit Lookout before continuing onto Hahndorf. Hahndorf is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement and is a superb ‘flashback’ to the nineteenth century with its shops, eating houses and attractions housed in authentic surroundings. Hans Heysen, world renown artist, settled in Hahndorf in 1908 and built his studio in the style of a Bavarian Chalet. The Cedars was his base as he painted extensively on site in the hills around Hahndorf and in the Flinders Ranges. We enjoy some free time this afternoon to enjoy the village and purchase lunch (own arrangement). There is a variety of stalls and shops within the township with a European Market place atmosphere. Art and craft shops are plentiful, and they display and sell works of gifted local artists. From Hahndorf we continue onto the historic river port town of Mannum, birthplace of the Murray River trade and communication, to board the PS Murray Princess. Late afternoon the ship heads upriver while we enjoy pre-dinner drinks and dinner. As we cruise under floodlight to our overnight mooring at Caurnamont we may see nocturnal wildlife on the riverbank. Watch for grey kangaroos, hair-nosed wombats, Murray longnecked tortoises, spoon-beaked echidnas and many other species. (Our on-board entertainer provides music for the night owls)
This morning we go ashore, after a hearty breakfast, for a guided nature walk to discover the local flora and fauna. We reboard and head upriver, past big river cliffs which tower 90 metres over us, and an ever-changing countryside. At the 207km mark we turn and head downriver to Piggy Flat where we join our discovery vessel for a backwater wildlife tour. Travelling in small, personalised groups, we explore the maze of backwaters, creeks and lagoons. The birdlife is amazing. Watch for darters, herons and egrets feeding along the river’s muddy edges. After dinner enjoy the fun and excitement of the Murray River Cup.
Bring your camera, we’re going ashore to capture the dawn light, a special time on the river. As we leave Piggy Flat breakfast is served. We enjoy a morning talk about the riverlands’ bountiful food and wine trail. After lunch we reach the Pomberuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Murray Bridge. The river has been a source of life for indigenous people of the riverlands, including Australia’s largest aboriginal community, the Ngarrindjeri people. Visit the Pomberuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre where you will be treated to a dramatic dance performance and encounter, Ngurunderi - an ancestral being, whose battle with the Murray Cod created the Ngarrindjeri world. Your ship departs for Mundarra. Tonight we join the Captain and officers for pre-dinner drinks and then the Captain’s Dinner & Dance.
After breakfast, PS Murray Princessarrives at Mannum where we reluctantly say farewell to the river. Today’s journey through Australia’s richest and best known wine making region, the Barossa Valley, will provide a full experience from the vine to wine. We stop at the Whispering Wall, an acoustic phenomena which carries a whispered conversation 150 metres on the way to Grant Burge, a fifth generation family winery overlooking the famous Jacobs Creek for some wine tasting. Yaldara Estate is a landmark in the Barossa Valley; we take a tour of the winery before sampling a range of reds, whites and fortified wines. A delightful three-course lunch will certainly please our palate. This afternoon we drive to Menglers Hill for views over the Barossa, before our final stop at Langmeil Wines, where we take a guided walk through some of the oldest vines in the region. After a very enjoyable day we return to Adelaide around 5:30pm for our final dinner and stay.
This morning we say our final farewells over breakfast, before heading for the airport to connect with our flights home. If you would like to stay longer you can request additional night/s at the Hilton International Adelaide when you book.
